


Throwing Punches

by bronzemist



Series: The Voyages of the Starship Overwatch [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Background Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 07:43:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12979332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bronzemist/pseuds/bronzemist
Summary: In which Jesse McCree punches someone in the face, gets concussed, and actually makes progress with his crush.





	Throwing Punches

**Author's Note:**

> the thrilling new installment in that Star Trek AU nobody asked for
> 
> aka Jesse's POV of Shore Leave

Soili was a nice little planet for shore leave. Awfully pretty during the daylight, shining blue seas and brightly painted buildings. There was a decent nightlife as well; a nice balance between kitschy, family-friendly places for the civilian transports that passed by and more adult establishments for Starfleet personnel and other working people.

The bar Jesse was in was a more old-fashioned one, all things considered. It had kept much of Soili's traditional architecture, and what modern amenities they'd put in were carefully hidden within the painted stone and wood. He was sitting with Hana at a small table, waiting on their food to arrive. They'd been chatting about her latest project, up until a large group of redshirts walked in. As soon as Hana saw them, her expression immediately darkened.

"What's wrong?" Jesse asked.

"Nothing," Hana sighed, "just guys in engineering being jerks." She jerked her head towards the redshirts who'd just come in. "Korpal's the worst of them. If I have to hear him call me "sweetie" one more time..." She scowled across the bar to where Korpal and several other redshirts were laughing around a table.

"Why don't you complain to Lindholm about it?" Jesse asked.

Hana grumbled. "I don't want to be the kid who runs crying to their dad every time they have a problem."

Jesse couldn't say anything to that. He'd felt the same way when he was going through the Academy, when he'd been harassed for his background by his more privileged classmates.

"Oh, hey Hanzo." Hana suddenly said.

Jesse looked up, feeling a familiar rush in his stomach. Lieutenant Hanzo was standing in front of their table, a small smile on his face as he looked at Hana. Jesse's mouth went a little dry at the sight.

"You look quite melancholy for someone on shore leave," he commented.

"Just engineering bullshit, don't worry about it." Said Hana, waving her hand carelessly. "What brings you here? I thought you weren't a fan of bars."

Hanzo glanced around the crowded bar, an expression of distaste briefly crossing his features. "I'm not, but my brother is. I'm helping Zenyatta look for him."

"Well, I haven't seen him all night." Said Hana, before glancing at Jesse. "What about you?"

Jesse nearly swallowed his tongue when Hanzo turned those gorgeous dark eyes on him. "Er – no, sorry. Haven't seen him."

Hanzo sighed, not looking too surprised. "I'll keep looking. I hope your night improves, Hana." He glanced at Jesse again. "Good night, Lieutenant McCree."

"Thanks!" Chirped Hana, drowning out Jesse's quiet "You too."

Hanzo walked away, blue scales shimmering as he went. Jesse watched him until he disappeared through the door. When he returned his attention to Hana, she was watching him with a wide grin on her face.

It was as Hana was opening her mouth to speak that the voice of the man sitting at the table beside them penetrated Jesse's hearing.

"... letting in that murderous Shimada scum," the man was saying, derision thick in his voice.

As one, Hana and Jesse turned to look. The man was sitting with some others, all of them facing the doorway Hanzo had just left through.

"Wouldn't mind getting my hands on that one, though," the man went on, oblivious to the seething Starfleet operatives sitting next to him, "nice tight ass like that."

Jesse saw red. Within seconds, he was standing beside the man, hands resting at his sides in tight fists.

"What's your problem, buddy?" Asked one of the other men at the table, looking up at Jesse's enraged face.

Jesse didn't bother speaking; he just punched the man who'd spoken earlier in the face. He heard the man's friends shout out protests, and heard Hana behind him cry out as well. The punch knocked the man clear out of his seat, pain arcing through his knuckles.

"The hell's your problem?" The man demanded from the floor.

"Shouldn't be talking shit about someone where their friends can hear ya." Jesse growled.

Pain exploded across the right side of his face, sending him staggering.

"And your dumb ass shouldn't punch somebody in front of their friends." He didn't get a chance to look at the speaker, since at that moment someone grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed him face-first into the table.

 

When Jesse regained consciousness, he was lying on a biobed in the _Overwatch_ 's sickbay. Standing beside his bed, reading a PADD, was Dr. Ziegler. When she saw he was awake, she smiled down at him.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant McCree. How are you feeling?"

Jesse took a second to assess. He felt... great, actually, which was strange considering the last thing he remembered was getting his head slammed into a table. "I feel good. Kinda drunk, though."

Dr. Ziegler chuckled a little. "That's completely normal, lieutenant." She told him. "You're on some quite strong painkillers right now."

"Oh. Okay."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Dr. Ziegler asked.

"I was in a bar with Hana... we were waiting on food." Jesse began. "Hanzo was there..." And that was a nice memory, very nice indeed. He remembered the way Hanzo's scales had shone, the way his eyes had looked turned on Jesse, the way the grey t-shirt he'd been wearing highlighted his well-defined biceps. And the way those black pants had hugged his ass...

"That asshole insulted him!"

"Who?" Dr. Ziegler asked, confused.

"The guy!" Jesse waved his hand. "Asshole! He called Hanzo murderous Shimada scum! And said he had a tight ass!" Hanzo did, but that was beside the point. People who insulted him for his heritage had no right to be going on about Hanzo's body in the next breath.

"So this man insulted Lieutenant Hanzo?" Dr. Ziegler clarified.

Jesse nodded fervently. "And that's when I decked that sorry bastard right in his ugly mug," he went on, "and then I think his buddy knocked me out." Suddenly he remembered Hana. "What happened to Hana? Is she okay?"

"Hana Song?" Dr. Ziegler asked. When Jesse nodded in confirmation, she smiled gently at him. "Miss Song is fine, lieutenant. From what I understand, Lieutenant Zaryanova intervened shortly after you were knocked out."

Jesse immediately relaxed. He knew Zaryanova – everyone did, the woman was a weightlifting legend – and no drunks in a bar were going to beat her in a fight.

"Lieutenant Zaryanova and Dr. Zhou brought you back here," Dr. Ziegler continued. "I believe Miss Song remained on planet; would you like to contact her?"

"Nah," Jesse sighed, "let her finish enjoying her leave. I'm just glad she's okay."

Dr. Ziegler turned the conversation onto his health, then; asking him to follow her finger, stare at her nose, breathe deeply. Jesse obeyed everything dutifully. He still felt really good, and pretty buzzed.

"I did not realize you were such good friends with Lieutenant Hanzo, to come to his defence," said Dr. Ziegler as she was tapping away on her PADD.

"Hanzo's... amazing." Jesse sighed dreamily. As usual, he could picture the other man perfectly in his mind; the soft smile he'd given Hana, the fond exasperation in his tone when he spoke of his brother, the way he blew his bangs out of his eyes. Everything about Hanzo drew Jesse in like a moth to a flame, and he was helpless to resist.

Dr. Ziegler made a small noise, and Jesse realized he'd said all of that out loud. He wondered if he should be embarrassed about that.

"I... I didn't realize you felt so deeply towards the lieutenant," she coughed.

Jesse sighed again. "He's... I don't know how to explain it," he said, "he pulls me in, and everything he does knocks me on my ass. I feel like an idiot every time I open my mouth around him, he makes me so tongue-tied."

"Really? A charmer like you?" Dr. Ziegler said. She was still holding her PADD, but loosely, as though she'd forgotten she had it.

"Hanzo's different," Jesse explained, "never felt this way before," a sudden wave of nausea washed over him, drowning out all the good, buzzed feelings from before. "Uh, doc? I don't feel so good..."

Instantly, Dr. Ziegler was alert. "What is it? Does your head hurt?"

Jesse went to shake his head no, but as he did, a throbbing pain began in his skull. "Yeah," he groaned, "my stomach too. Think I'm gonna throw up."

"Concussion," Dr. Ziegler muttered. She reached into her pocket and withdrew a hypospray. "I suspected as much."

"Wait, don't..." Jesse began. He hated hyposprays. Another wave of nausea closed his mouth as his hands flew to his stomach.

A sharp pinch in his neck told him Dr. Ziegler had injected him with the hypo. In the instant before it took effect, he felt a pleasant cooling sensation begin to spread up his neck towards his head.

The next instant, his eyes closed, and he felt nothing at all.

 

When Jesse next opened his eyes, he was in one of the _Overwatch_ 's recovery rooms. His head felt much clearer, which was good. His memories of the last time he'd woken up were blurry, but he had the distinct feeling he'd said something embarrassing to Dr. Ziegler.

"Good, you're awake." The door slid open, Ana Amari walking in with a PADD in hand. "How are you feeling, dear?"

"Fine." Said Jesse.

"No more nausea? No headache?" She asked.

Jesse paused and considered. His stomach felt a little weird, but he always felt strange after spending time in sickbay. His head felt fine.

"Yeah, I'm good." He said. "Does that mean I get to leave?"

"I'm afraid not," Ana said, "you did have quite a bad concussion. You should be mostly recovered now, but Dr. Ziegler wants to keep you here under observation for a little bit longer."

Jesse groaned.

"Chin up, it's not so bad." Said Ana with a smile. "I'm sure you impressed your man, leaping to defend his honour like that."

Jesse felt his eyes grow wide. "What? What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember? You told Dr. Ziegler a lovely little story about how you got in a fight to defend Lieutenant Hanzo and got yourself concussed while doing so." Ana said blithely. "You also told her rather a lot about the lieutenant's... assets, shall we say."

He raked his brains, but no matter how hard he tried, his memory stubbornly refused to give him anything more.

"How embarrassing was I?" Jesse asked reluctantly.

"Pretty embarrassing," said Ana, not unkindly. "Here, have some food." She handed him some bland replicated toast with a microscopically thin layer of honey on top.

"Is this really food, Ms. Amari?" He asked with exaggerated sadness.

"If it's not sweet enough for you, I can always get Lieutenant Hanzo," Ana said sweetly, "so he can be your honey."

Jesse nearly choked on his toast.

"Ana!"

She laughed, patting him on the back as he coughed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just surprised to see you so unsure about romance."

"Hanzo's different." Jesse said, slowly finishing his toast.

"Yes, Dr. Ziegler mentioned you saying that," said Ana. "I can't say I understand, but I hope you know that I would support you if you wanted to pursue something."

"I know, Ana," he sighed, "it's not that. Gabe and the Captain have no room to talk about relationships between crew."

"No, they don't." She agreed, gathering up the plate. "Are you thirsty?"

Jesse shook his head. "Nah, I'm alright."

"I'll leave you alone, then." Ana headed for the door. "I'll be back in half an hour to check in on you."

"Okay. Thanks, Ms. Amari."

When his door opened again shortly after Ana left, Jesse was half-expecting the shape that entered, though the blond following behind Reyes was a surprise.

"Gabe – er, Commander, Captain. What brings you here?"

Jesse took one look at Gabe and knew that the man was pissed. Ever since he'd found Jesse and convinced him to join Starfleet, Gabe seemed to feel responsible for his success. Every time Jesse screwed up, back during the Academy and now as a lieutenant, he could expect a lecture from Gabe as soon as the man had a moment free from his duties as First Officer. The presence of the Captain was a surprise, but he supposed Morrison was there to back up his husband.

"Three stays in sickbay this month alone." Gabe growled. Jesse internally cringed. He could acknowledge, at least to himself, that that did sound kind of bad. "First time, getting into a fistfight with a Klingon - "

"Hey, that guy started it - " He protested. The Klingon had started it, he'd called Jesse spineless and honourless. Punching him had been the only appropriate response.

"Second time, encouraging Fawkes to test out his latest abomination - "

"How was I to know it would blow up?"

Gabe's scowl deepened, and the Captain raised an eyebrow.

"The man only makes bombs!" Gabe shouted.

Jesse really couldn't say anything to that, much to his annoyance. It wasn't like he could admit that he'd been bored out of his skull, and that he'd gone down to engineering looking for trouble.

"So tell me, McCree, what's behind this latest incident? Who's fault is it this time?" Gabe demanded.

Jesse wasn't prepared to admit that he'd gotten into a fight over a man who hardly even knew his name. Not to the man he saw as pretty much his surrogate father, and definitely not in front of the captain. So all he said was, "he had it coming".

Captain Morrison sighed. "Lieutenant, it doesn't matter if the other guy "had it coming". You're Starfleet, you have to set an example."

"And I was – talk shit, get hit." Jesse said smartly.

As one, both his commanding officers sighed.

"Lieutenant - " The captain began. He was interrupted by the door to the recovery room sliding open.

"Gabriel, Jack, surely you aren't in here berating Jesse?" Ana said, sliding past them to check Jesse's vitals. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. Surely she wouldn't let Gabe yell at him, not when she knew the truth. Besides, she was one of the few people on the ship unafraid of talking back to the commanders.

"Ana, what..." Morrison protested.

"Amari," Gabe growled in the same moment.

"Oh, stop your scowling." Ana tsked. "The number of times I had to drag you two out of a bar fight on leave..."

Jesse grinned as Gabe and Jack both blushed. He knew Gabe hadn't been an angel in his younger years, but it was surprising to hear that the Captain had gotten into fights. Jesse'd always thought of Morrison as a stiff, by-the-books man, the model officer. Maybe they weren't such an odd couple after all.

"And before you get too happy, Jesse, it's time for your hypo." Ana continued. In an instant, Jesse'd mood transitioned from glee to dread.

"Wait, Ms. Amari, no - " He protested.

"Naptime!" She sang. Jesse felt the familiar pinch in his neck, and within seconds unconsciousness stole him away.

 

When Jesse woke up next, he didn't hear anything but the hum of the monitors. He let out a relieved sigh. Gabe and the captain must've been chased out by Ana while he was unconscious.

"Ah, greetings, Lieutenant McCree!" Said a cheerful modulated voice.

Jesse would deny until his dying day the high-pitched squeak he emitted in his shock. Omnic faces didn't show amusement, but he'd bet his next shore leave that Zenyatta was laughing internally about the scare he'd just given him.

"Jesus, warn a fella next time, would you?" Jesse grumbled, pushing himself up on his elbows. He reached up to prod his forehead.

"You are fully healed, lieutenant." Zenyatta said, noticing the movement. "However, Dr. Ziegler has instructed that we keep you under observation for several more hours."

"What, why? What does she think I'm gonna do?"

"Given your track record? Go down to engineering and get yourself blown up by Mr. Fawkes, perhaps." Zenyatta commented.

Jesse pouted. "You make one mistake..."

"Is this really the argument you wish to have, Lieutenant McCree?"

No, not really, and especially not with Zenyatta, who was impossible to win arguments against. Still, considering he was being forced to cool his heels in sickbay, he needed something to do or he'd go insane.

The door chimed.

"Come in!" Jesse called.

The door slid open, and Hanzo stepped into the recovery room. Jesse was immediately conscious of the fact that he hadn't washed his hair in well over 24 hours, and that he was wearing the ugly sickbay-issued clothes that made him look washed out.

"Am I interrupting?" Hanzo asked, upon seeing Zenyatta.

The omnic hummed contentedly. "No, I was just checking on Lieutenant McCree. If you have no need for assistance, lieutenant, I will leave," he added.

"Yeah, go ahead, Zenyatta, don't let me keep you," Jesse said automatically.

Zenyatta bowed to them both before gliding gracefully from the room, leaving an awkward silence in his wake. Jesse felt incredibly self-conscious, and couldn't help wondering why Hanzo was here.

"Are... are you well?" Hanzo asked. At least he sounded awkward as well, Jesse thought, even as he nodded his head.

"I'm fine, it's hardly the first time I've gotten banged up."

"So I have been told." Said Hanzo, a tiny smile quirking up the corner of his mouth.

"Er, pardon my asking, but what brings you here?" Jesse asked. "I wasn't really expecting visitors."

Hanzo, much to his surprise, blushed a little at the question.

"I... Miss Song told me what happened. Why you were in a fight." He said quietly.

_Hana, you traitor!_ Jesse thought to himself, eyes widening. If Hanzo knew about the fight... had he figured it out? He must have, surely a person as smart as him could figure out what it meant when someone got into a fight over an insult directed towards you.

"While I appreciate your desire to defend your friend, surely you must realize that my brother and I have heard similar insults ever since joining Starfleet. We are well accustomed to it now." Hanzo went on.

"Well, you shouldn't be." Jesse said thoughtlessly. Then he mentally rewound what had been said. "Wait, what's Genji got to do with this?"

Hanzo blinked at him. "I am well aware of your friendship with my brother, Lieutenant McCree. I know that someone as loyal to their friends as you would take ill any insult against them, even if it were directed broadly at their species."

Suddenly it clicked. Hanzo didn't think Jesse'd gotten into the fight because he'd been insulted; he thought Jesse'd gotten into the fight because the Shimada had been insulted, which was indirectly an insult to Genji as well.

"Your brother's one of my best friends, Hanzo, but I didn't get into that fight because of him," Jesse said, "I got into that fight because of you."

The expression on Hanzo's face suggested that Jesse had just said something utterly ridiculous.

"What?"

"Look, I know we're not close buddies or anything like that," Jesse said, pointedly ignoring the voice in his mind that said _you wish you were more_ , "but I'm not gonna just stand by and let people say shit like that about you."

"Oh." The blush on Hanzo's face was spreading down towards his throat. He swallowed, fidgeting where he stood.

"Didn't Hana tell you that?" Jesse asked.

"She... she did, yes, but I assumed she was exaggerating." Hanzo said quietly. "I know most of the crew are not as fond of me as she is."

"I don't think you're giving us enough credit, partner." Said Jesse. Privately, he wondered what exactly had happened in the other man's past to make him feel like such an outsider, when Genji seemed to share no similar beliefs. "Maybe you just haven't given some of us a chance."

"I... I will consider that, Lieutenant McCree."

"You can call me Jesse, you know. Most of my friends do."

"Jesse, then." Said Hanzo, finally relaxing a little. "Thank you," he added, giving Jesse a smile that made his knees weak, "for your defence, though I wish you hadn't been injured in the process."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Jesse said with a wave of his hand, "this isn't my first time in sickbay."

"Yes, Genji has told me quite a few stories of your escapades," said Hanzo with a chuckle. "I am surprised you have not been given a room of your own."

"Hey now!" Jesse laughed, a warm feeling spreading through him. He loved seeing Hanzo open up like this.

There was a ping from Hanzo's comm. He glanced down at it, and then looked up at Jesse, biting his lip.

"I am sorry, but my shift begins soon. I must go."

"No worries, partner, not everyone can be as lucky as me." Said Jesse, enjoying the way Hanzo's mouth looked after being bitten. "I'll see you around once they let me off this extended vacation."

"I look forward to it," Hanzo replied, granting him another sweet smile, "good day, Jesse."

He left. Finally alone, Jesse slumped back on the bed, goofy smile finally emerging as he gazed up at the ceiling.

"Holy shit, I'm in love."

**Author's Note:**

> McCree's reaction to his concussion is based on my sister's experience as I have been fortunate enough to never be concussed in my life.
> 
> Thanks again to [helraisingstar](http://helraisingstar.tumblr.com/) for helping me out with this! If you have suggestions for things you'd want to see in this universe, let me know in the comments! Or you can find me on tumblr at [bronzemist](http://bronzemist.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
